Thread: Africian migrant children beaten in Canary Island centers

African migrant children 'beaten'
Hundreds of African migrant children in the Canary Islands are at risk of abuse, a human rights group has said.
Children are being beaten and left to go hungry by staff in overcrowded government emergency centres, Human Rights Watch said in a report.

More than 900 unaccompanied children have arrived in the Spanish territory after dangerous journeys in makeshift boats in an attempt to reach the EU.

In 2006, about 30,000 immigrants were caught trying to reach the islands.

The regional government says the accusations are unfounded.

'Abuse ignored'

In the report, "Unwelcome Responsibilities: Spain's Failure to Protect the Rights of Unaccompanied Migrant Children in the Canary Islands", Human Rights Watch says the children - mostly boys from Senegal and Morocco - are detained indefinitely in the migrant centres.


These children should be protected by the Spanish authorities, not left to suffer beatings and abuse
Simone Troller
Human Rights Watch


Children held at four centres told Human Rights Watch they had seen staff violently abusing other children on several occasions. They also said staff ignored violence between detainees.

The group urged Canary Islands officials to close the emergency centres, which it opened a year ago, and provide alternative accommodation and care for the children either on the islands or in Spain.

It also called for a full investigation into the children's claims of abuse.

"These children should be protected by the Spanish authorities, not left to suffer beatings and abuse," said Human Rights Watch spokeswoman Simone Troller.

"The Canary Islands government should close these centres and arrange better care for the children."

Response

In a statement, the regional government in the Canary Islands said Human Rights Watch had delayed for a month before passing on the allegations and had refused to name the staff accused of beating children.

The statement said a two-month juducial investigation had failed to reveal any evidence of abuse.

The regional authorities do concede that emergency centres are not the best way to house children.

They have called on the national government to speed up the transfer of migrants to mainland Spain.

Under new agreements between Europe and African countries, many children are returned to their home countries, but face a life without family around them.

Those who do make it to Europe often grow up to contribute to the economies of their host country, says the BBC's Africa editor David Bamford.

But with large numbers of adult migrants desperate for a new life in Europe free of poverty the emphasis is on containment, and so far the authorities have been losing that battle, our correspondent says.

Earlier this month, Spanish officials called off a search for 50 African migrants missing after a boat capsized near the Canary Islands. Forty-eight people were rescued and several bodies recovered.

Most African migrants seeking to enter the EU sail from the west African coast in crowded open boats, many dying en route.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/e ... 917039.stm

Published: 2007/07/26 10:13:35 GMT

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